(born 1945) Born in Atlanta, GA, Conroy’s autobiographical novels explore, often in glaring and confessional detail, his life in the South. Whether portraying an abusive, military father (The Great Santini, 1976), racist educational practices (The Water Is Wide, 1972), or the harsh discipline and racism of a military academy (The Lords Of Discipline, 1980), Conroy’s poetic prose and evocative images have earned him broad critical recognition.

Conroy has taken criticism for what is perceived as the “therapeutic” effusion of his work, but his characterizations of families in turmoil are almost surgical in their precision and depth. Several Conroy novels have been translated into powerful films.